Astronomers using the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope have captured striking evidence of a black hole not only consuming matter but also ejecting it at extraordinary speeds. Located in the spiral galaxy NGC 4945, over 12 million light-years from Earth, the supermassive black hole at its core is expelling winds so powerful that they are expected to escape the galaxy entirely.

NGC 4945’s black hole is feeding aggressively, creating turbulent outflows of gas and dust that shoot outward in cone-shaped streams. These high-velocity winds, visible in red in detailed observations, offer rare insight into how black holes can influence the galaxies they inhabit.

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NGC 4945 Mystery: How the Winds Were Detected

The team used the MUSE instrument aboard the Very Large Telescope to study the heart of NGC 4945 in unprecedented detail. Clouds of dust and gas clustered around the black hole, with bright jets of material bursting outward.

Rather than slowing down as expected, the jets appear to be accelerating as they travel away from the galaxy’s core. Instead, the MUSE data suggest that these black hole-driven winds gain momentum, propelling them far beyond the confines of their host galaxy.

Impact on Star Formation and Galactic Evolution

These outflows transport the raw ingredients for star formation, meaning that their removal from the galaxy could significantly suppress the birth of new stars. This supports the growing view among astronomers that supermassive black holes play a critical role in regulating the life cycle of galaxies.

As material is ejected, the black hole also reduces its own fuel supply. This feedback loop may help explain how galaxies and their central black holes maintain a form of equilibrium over time. The new findings suggest that powerful black holes not only shape their surroundings but also self-limit their growth.

By examining nearby galaxies like NGC 4945, astronomers are piecing together how these immense forces behave over cosmic time.

The study, led by Cosimo Marconcini and an international team of researchers, was published in Nature Astronomy on 31 March 2025. Their work brings scientists one step closer to understanding the mechanisms behind black hole winds and how they influence galaxy formation and evolution throughout the history of the cosmos.